1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a porous material comprising zirconium oxide and a carbide. The invention also relates to a composite sintered product comprising zirconium oxide and a carbide. The porous material or a powder mixture obtained by dividing the porous material, or the sintered product is suitable for use as carbide tools or high temperature structural materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For the manufacture of composite sintered products comprising zirconium oxide and carbides, it is the common practice to provide a carbide powder which has been obtained by mixing a metal or its oxide with a carbon powder or solid carbon and subjecting the mixture to reaction at high temperatures. The carbide powder is sufficiently mixed with a zirconium oxide powder and molded in a desired shape, and is sintered under high temperature and high pressure conditions. This process has inconveniently a number of steps and is complicated, so that impurities are liable to be incorporated in the final product. Another disadvantage involved in this process is a very high energy consumption.